Typically, edging is done with a hand-held mechanized edging device, although there are devices in the prior art directed at mechanized edgers for use with tractors. Usually, at the completion of the edging operation, a worker will retrace his steps with a blower to remove grass clippings from the path, particularly from paved areas.
Although such an operation creates the desired appearance, it is labor intensive, particularly where significant areas of paths are utilized, such as in recreation areas, including golf courses. Additionally, the labor intensiveness causes a correlated increase in costs.
Additionally, edging grass areas commonly includes the use of blades or other cutting members rotating at high velocity. Although, such an arrangement is quite effective for cutting grasses and other shrubs, the user must carefully examine the path to be cut for any hard objects that might damage a rotating blade or for any structures that the blade might damage. In particular, the user must be careful when edging near concrete sidewalks that can be damaged by the blade.
A number of patents disclose the use of edgers mounted on tractors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,155 discloses a lawn edger attachment which, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is mounted to a tractor device.
U.S. Patent Publication 2002-0100266 discloses a mobile power driven vegetation trimmer utilizing a nylon wire and having line feed control.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,053 discloses a lawn mower equipped with a retractable edger and trimmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,586 discloses a yard trimming system for attachment to a vehicle.
Although the noted references provide mechanized trimming systems to replace hand use, none of the disclosures are particularly adaptable for extremely large areas with multiple paths or for large islands of grass surrounded by non-grass surfaces. In particular, none of the systems disclosed can reduce the cutting trips to a single trip wherein all cutting, as well as clean-up, can occur within a single trip. Further, none of the references incorporate any structure for detecting hard objects and preventing damage to the cutting member.
Furthermore, none of the references disclose the use of a bilateral edging device that can be adjustable, where edging occurs simultaneously on both sides of the path or pavement. Supports for storing the edging devices in a rest position are also not disclosed. Further, none of the references disclose the combination of bilateral edging devices with a grass cutter, suction device, and/or blower attachment to remove the grass clippings from the path or pavement as the vehicle progresses.